Cabin in the Basin
by sheltiegrl
Summary: Booth and Brennan are on a case in Arizona miles away from civilization when things go wrong... how will they get out of this one? RATING CHANGED to T.
1. The Middle of Nowhere

**I have rewrote this story in many ways, edit it mainly to fix my spelling and grammar. But I am also trying to get the characters more correct. Let me know what you think, im sorry to those of you who have been reading this but hopefully you will like the changes I make. Also, im sorry if my updates come slow. The Rating Changed from M to T because i realize that a lot of you read M fiction with expectations i cannot fulfill, therefore i went with T because of my use of language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, Fox does, and almost all the characters are not mine.**

Booth and Brennan walk under the yellow crime scene tape bickering.

"I'm just saying, if you take an actual vacation once in awhile, you might find that you like time away from skeletal figures."

"Human remains, and fraternizing with people outside of the working environment is not a problem for me. There are anthropological reasons people enjoy vacations, I do not exercise that need." Brennan looked around at the few people standing around the crime scene. "So why did you bring me all the way out here to Arizona? Where are we again?"

"Horse-Thief Basin in the Black Canyon Mountains. Double homicide, cross country runner stumbled upon the remains. Unfortunately for these two, people don't come out this far except on rare occasions." The cop who presumably was in charge explained.

"So Bones, what can you determine?" Booth smirked.

Bending down to examine the remains, Brennan put on her latex gloves and pointed to what looked to be a jaw bone protruding from the ground.

"This one shows a lot of damage-- the mandible is severely fractured."

"Spare us the science talk and speak clear English Bones" Booth says sarcastically.

Rolling her eyes Brennan began her assessment. "This one is male, approximately late twenties early thirties. Damage looks to have been caused by a blow to the head. This one is female, same approximate age. She appears to have been beaten as well, but was still alive when she was left here."

The sheriff gave a disgusted face, "How can you tell that form…those?"

"She is an amazing women. So, it looks like we'll be stickin' around for awhile sheriff. Where's the nearest town?" Booth turned to the sheriff.

"Sixty miles south, like I said, no one comes up this way too often." The sheriff grinned.

"I need to set my laptop up, talk to Zack back at the lab." Brennan said while she studied the bones, brushing dirt off them.

"Sorry little lady, no connection out here, cell phones, walkie-talkies, computers, you name it, they don't work this far out.

Brennan glances worriedly at Booth. He returns the look.

"Then I need you to send a vehicle out to retrieve the remains." Brennan addressed the sheriff.

"Well come along then, we better come back tomorrow, it'll get real dark here in an hour, would take four to get you what you're askin'." The sheriff gave her a wink.

Brennan gave him an appalled look.

"I cant leave these. It would compromised evidence." Brennan insisted.

"Bones, they've been out here this long, they'll last another night."

"I have uncovered them from the protection the moss had built around them, wild animals will pick them apart by morning if they are left."

"Got a tent in the jeep, I do a lot of huntin' this time of year, but it'd be best to listen to your boy here, like I said, it gets REAL dark out here at night. Calling for a storm too."

"Can I use that tent?" Brennan stood up to ask the sheriff.

"Bones, you can't be serious?"

"You go back with the sheriff, get a room, charged it to the Jeffersonian, they'll never know the difference. I'll be fine, I've stayed in worst places under worse conditions. I can take care of myself."

"Sounds like she's a loner, how'd you get to her in the first place?" The sheriff gave that smile again.

"We're not…" Brennan and Booth said at the same time.

The sheriff gave them a disbelieving look.

"Bones, can I talk you out of this?"

"No," she turns and walked to the jeep, "Where's that tent?" she directed toward the sheriff, while he unlocked his jeep she turned to Booth; "Why does _everybody_think we are in a physical relationship?"

The sheriff unload his tent and began setting it up. "You two finish each others sentences, that when you arn't reciting the same, or bickering." He gave Brennan a wink and then with a final warning climbed into his jeep and drove away.

"I can't believe we are staying in the woods. These woods of all woods! Did you see the sign at the beginning of the road? It said _'primitive road take at own risk'_! Bones, no one comes out here, the four wheel drive jeep barely made it over that terrain!" Booth complained. "The sky is already darkening."

"If you are afraid of the dark you should have done what I told you and went back into town. I don't know why you insist on babysitting me all the time."

"With sheriff flirts-a-lot? Besides, that's what partners are for. And need I remind you that you seem to have a _**knack**_ for getting yourself into trouble on cases like these?" Booth gives Brennan a caring look.

"Not to mention that this tent is barely big enough for one of us." Brennan pulled her bag over towards the tent.

"That's because it was meant for only one person. I'll sleep out here." Booth offered.

"It's going to rain, we can share. It can work, you see if--"

"Please don't say anything scientific, I'm too tired to try to translate it in my head."

Brennan gave him a dirty look. "Do you want to sleep out in the rain?"

"Not particularly." Booth opened the tent and looked in.

Brennan pushed past him and set the blankets out and the two climbed in. Not easily. They lay back to back uncomfortably.

Booth tossed and turned causing Brennan to become annoyed and snap; "No wonder you and Cam didn't work out. She hates it when Zack fidgets in the lab, I can imagine shed be appalled with you doing this in bed."

Booth stopped moving, finally getting comfortable, laying on his back, and gave Brennan an annoyed look. He was lying there watching a bug fly around the top of the tent. Moments passed in silence. He could hear that her breathing had not yet slowed, neither of them could fall asleep.

"Have you ever loved someone?" he asked. The only explanation he could rationalize for asking that question was that he was in a zombie like sleep, you know that type you get when you are really tired but cant fall asleep. You lose your rational thinking and analyzing and things just…slip.

"We have a long day ahead of us, go to sleep Booth." Brennan wanted to avoid that question at all costs. She was still uneasy about the whole "Love" concept. She knew how Booth felt about 'soul mates' and 'love' and didn't want to get into an argument again tonight about her personal beliefs and rationalizations about the subjects.

"Sorry. Goodnight Bones."

"Goodnight Booth."

Booth continued to stare at the bug. He thought about all the times he and Bones had fought over the subject of Love, she didn't believe in it. Her logical brain wouldn't allow her to. He knew her past and understood why she felt the way she did at times. But what he couldn't understand was how she did it, not love, he may not have the best track record of relationships, but damn it at least he tried!


	2. Panic

**Here is Chpt 2. Read and review so I know if im doing something right or wrong ****J**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters nor the show**

**~B**

A rustle of leaves outside the tent woke Brennan up. She tried to set up but stopped when she realized there was something lying across her. Booth's arm was wrapped around her, two things crossed her mind before she could rationalize them. First, she didn't want to disturb him, and second…she liked the feeling of security that his arm gave her. Even though it was probably below forty degrees outside, she was warm, their close proximity created the perfect camping atmosphere. If it wasn't for the dead body lying a few feet away outside, it never would have crossed her mind to move from that spot of security, warmth, and comfort. But the leaves rustled again and as comfortable and secure as she was, she felt nervous.

"Booth... Booth? Did you hear that? Booth!"

"Huh?" He slowly woke up, stretching his arms then relaxing them again. That was when he realized that he was holding Bones, which startled him enough to jerk his arm away and then pretend to rub his eyes and yawn.

"Did you hear that?" Bones asked. She watched his face redden as he scrambled for words, most likely he hadn't expected to wake up to his partner nestled in the curves of his body. Considering said partner hadn't expected to be nestled either, she guessed that her own face mirrored his a little, even with the advantage of waking up first.

"Hear what?"

"Someone's out there."

Booth sat up quickly, pulling out his gun as he got up to turn around in the small tent. He managed to only ram his legs into hers a few times before he got turned around and was able to unzip the tent slowly.

"Stay here, I'll check it out."

He opened the tent and slowly looked around. Standing up, he checked the surroundings.

"There's nothing out here, you must have been dreaming Bones." He walked around the area checking all possible hiding spots, using his training to survey the surroundings.

Brennan could hear Booth walking towards the tree line. She thought about how lucky she was to have a partner like Booth, the thought of her being alone out here gave her a cold chill.

"Booth?" She quietly called for her partner, but she received no reply. "Booth?"

Brennan stepped out of the tent. She was grabbed by a large man dressed in dark camo. He began dragging her deeper into the woods. She struggled and fought against him. She managed to kick his feet out from underneath him and spun around standing up in one fluid movement putting her brown velvet pumps, with golden colored broaches, on his neck.

"Who the HELL are you!?! And what did you do to my partner?!" Brennan glared at the smirking man on the ground as she was knocked unconscious from behind.


	3. Truth and a Cabin

Booth slowly regained consciousness, blinking his eyes to take in his surroundings. It is light outside now but he cant see the crime scene or tent anywhere. Standing up he flet dizzy, he lifted his arm to touch the back of his head, which was damp. Examining his hand he sees that he is bleeding, not bad, but enough to make him dizzy.

Damn it! How'd they get the jump on him? And where'd they go? Where is Bones?

"Bones?" He began to panic, "Bones? Where are you?"

'_Oh my god, where is she? Please, I'm supose to be protecting her.' _Booth looked around frightened, panic spreading throughout his body. And then he saw her, lying on the ground covered in the leaves. _She's not moving. _He ran to her, brushing the freshly fallen leaves off her still body.

"Bones!"

He placed his hand behind her neck lifting her head gently into his arms as he checked her pulse, _'weak but she's still alive'. _He looked her over, analyzing her injuries. She's badly beaten, her face is bruised, her lip cut, and her arm looked to be broken. He slowly and gently slid his free arm under her knees and picked her up. His face showed the fear that his entire body was radiating. He looked around at the trees and covered pathways. _'Where can I take her, how can I help, I need to find help, Bones needs me to find help.' _He headed further into the woods looking for any possible shelter, road, or human existence. Fearing for both their lives, he kept an ear out for the men from the night before.

He walked for hours talking to Brennan even though he received no reply from her still figure.

"Hang in there Bones. I'm going to find us help. Don't worry, I was trained for situations similar to this, granted it was for the Army not a camping trip gone bad, but I will find us help. Do you think those men had anything to do with the murders? I shouldn't be putting these ideas into your head, I know you hate it when I jump to conclusions. I cant help it, you intimidate me you know that? God! You can be so… **infuriating**! You know I don't understand you most of the time, and you are way too set in your ways! You know, when I hassle you about taking a vacation… its because I want to be with you outside of work for more than just to have a coffee and Chinese food every once in awhile! I mean, ummm, wow, I didn't just say that. I meant that you should do more than just work, life is too short to spend all of your time working…. Bones! Look, a cabin!"

Booth walked up the front porch steps and knocked on the door.

"Bones, it's a cabin. But the sheriff said no one comes out this far, you would have an explanation. You need to wake up and tell me it! Scientifically so I have to think about it for a long time! And we can hope that those two from last night don't know about this place."

Booth knocked again, but there was no answer. "Well Bones, desperate times…" He tightened his arms around her body shifted his weight, and kicked the door in.

The cabin looked as if no one had been there in a few years. Booth walked in as he surveyed the set up. seeing a couch, he set Brennan down began rummaging through the draws in the bathroom. The bathroom was large with a claw-foot tub and a separate standing shower. Finding a wash cloth he wetted it and returned to the living room. He lifted Brennan's shoulders and sat down placing her in his lap. Booth began to wipe the dirt from Brennan's face, gently brushing her hair from her face as he examined the bruising.

"You know Bones, I could say I told you so, you always seem to get us into these things messes. Remember when you shot me? But that's why you need to wake up, because I didn't mention it before, but you are also the one who usually gets us out of them as well. You and your science talk." He gently kissed a non-bruised spot on her forehead. "You're a good partner, I couldn't do this stuff without you."

"Stop the sentimental talk, it's an anthropological need to make amends, to make yourself feel better." Brennan spoke weakly.

"Bones?" Booth droped the cloth and pulled her into his arms hugging her.

"OW"

"Sorry! Oh, god, I'm so sorry." He sets her back down gently. "I thought-"

"Don't say it." She cut him off.

"But…" He decided it wasn't important, the important thing was that she was ok now.

"Booth. Where are we?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to get us out of this, I will go find help."

"The nearest town is 60 miles away…ow…" Brennan's face shadowed the amount of pain she was in at even the slightest movement. Booth wanted so badly to take that pain away from her, inflict it upon himself if he could spare her of it.

"Bones, don't try to move, are you comfortable? Stupid question! I'm so sorry, this is my fault, I should have been paying more attention…"

"Booth stop, you got me _here_ right? It wasn't your fault, I wanted to stay in the woods."

"No Temperance, I failed you…" The look in his eyes gave away the unspoken relationship they shared, with every word she spoke his gaze softened. It was killing him to see her in pain.

"Booth, can we talk about something different? I don't want you trekking out in the woods by yourself, and I don't want to be left alone. Please?… Tell me about something."

Brennan attempted to move onto her side to relieve the pressure on a bruise located somewhere near the base of her back. Booth noticed and tried to assist her. Brennan moved down onto the couch, leaving her head resting on his legs. Booth brushed the hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear continuing to run his fingers through it.

Brennan started to relax as Booth's fingers ran through her hair, she began to feel safe again, there was something about being in Booth's embrace that calmed her and gave her a sense of security.

"Please talk Booth, I need to hear your voice."

"I'm scared Bones."

"Me too."

"But I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I can't lose you, I wont."

Brennan laid still, relaxing under the security of her partner's arm when a thought struck her. "Are you going to retire soon?"

Booth gave Brennan a confused look and thought about her question. How odd that she would ask that. Sure, he could retire in another two years, everything was set up that he could. He glanced down at the woman lying in his arms.

"No."

"Why not, you could, and then you wouldn't be put in predicaments like this." Brennan took a labored breath in.

"I wont leave you Bones, I never will. As long as you need me…I'm here."

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Brennan woke up with her head still resting on Booth's leg. She looked up and met his gaze.

Booth looked into Brennan's eyes, noticing the faintest sparkle in them, not there normal sparkle, but a spark relighting. She was going to be ok, and he would make sure that she would be.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"Better than before, I have a splitting headache and I hurt all over, but I will be ok. Oh, but I have a broken carpal."

Booth gave her a questioning/confused look, not wanting her to have to translate for him.

"It's the bone that allows the wrist to move." She explained before he had to ask.

He loved her patience toward his lack of knowledge. She had adapted herself to him these past three years they'd been partners.

"Let me see?"

She handed him her wrist and winced in pain as it moved. Booth gently held her arm in one of his hand and her hand in his other to keep her wrist from moving. It was swollen and badly bruised, and very painful judging from the look on her face. She was a strong women who dealt with pain well, she didn't complain even though her entire body was badly injured. He admired her for that but didn't want her to always be so tough, she deserved to be able to let her guard down every so often, to relax, but because of her past she was never able to.

"Bones, its ok to cry, you can let that wall down, if you need to yell at someone, yell at me, don't keep all your emotions inside…"

Before he could get the rest of his sentence out he was stopped, her arms startled him as they wrapped around his shoulders, slowly and lightly, but they were there. He paused for a moment, not knowing what to do, then gently put his arms around her and let her head rest against his.

"I just need to feel safe again." she spoke almost too softly to hear. The two held each other for a long time, taking each other in. _'Does this count as a guy hug?' _Booth asked himself. _'No, this is more, she trusts me to keep her safe, she is relying on me. And that is why I have to get her out of here.'_ Booth held onto Brennan as she softly slid her head onto his shoulder and fell asleep once more.


	4. Out of the Question

**OK, so I have had numerous problems while uploading this story, like underlining appearing out of NOWEHERE! Lol, oh well. I hope you all are enjoying this, it is why I write. Please feel free to leave me any reviews, comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. I read them all. Hope you all have a nice week.**

**~B**

**Disclaimer: I don't own bones**

Brennan woke up on a strange couch, she couldn't recall where she was, or why she was there. She slowly sat up, remembering her injured wrist as it twitched in pain, and looked around trying to place where she was. Her eyes stopped on a shirtless Booth standing over a tiny stove in what looked to be a kitchen. She rubbed her eyes and tried to stand up, that's when it all came flooding back. The tent, the bodies, the men in camo and black,… and Booth. She fell back onto the couch and decided that it was best to stay put.

Booth glanced up just in time to see Brennan struggle back onto the couch. He watched her confusion and saw her darkening bruises, pain struck him in the form of guilt. He believed it was his fault that she was in the state she was in right now.

"Good morning Bones, I was just looking for something to eat, it looks like there hasn't been any food in here in years though." He finished sadly, he began to worry how they would survive out here. There was little chance that they would make it to the nearest town from here, not with Bones' current state of health, and he sure as hell wasn't leaving her here alone.

"I'm not hungry Booth, is there a bathroom?"

"Yea, here I will show you."

Brenna struggled to stand up. Booth, realizing her struggle, was quickly at her side to lift her to her feet. He held onto her as she slowly regained her balance and they slowly moved in the direction of the bathroom.

At the bathroom door Booth let go of her and waited outside the bathroom door as she used the wall to maneuver her way about. Although her legs weren't impaired in anyway, she had been immobile long enough for them to become stiff.

The bathroom was large, and the tub looked very inviting, she wondered if the hot water would work?

"Hey Booth?"

"Yea Bones, is something wrong?"

"No, I was just wondering if the hot water worked."

"Already two steps ahead of you Bones, I turned it on this morning and checked it recently, it works."

"I want to take a bath."

"Ok, I will be out here if you need me."

There was a long pause.

"Actually, I don't think I can get in without help."

Booth swallowed hard, this would be awkward, they were partners, he did so well separating there partnership from the emotions he was feeling right now. But pushing those out of his mind he answered her; "Ok, tell me when you want me to come in."

He waited for what seemed like hours listening to her stumbling around drawing a bath. At every bump she held back a cry of pain, and as he listened through the door each made his stomach sick, he almost went in a few times.

'What am I going to do? I cant just barge in there! But what if she really needs me? What will happen when I do go in there? Can I handle that?'

His thoughts were interrupted by Brennan's voice on the other side of the door.

"Ok, I'm ready…"

Booth slowly opened the door… Brennan stood next to the huge claw foot tub wrapped in a towel. He walked over to her, he couldn't help noticing the bruises on parts of her body that had previously been covered by clothing.

"You're pretty beat up yourself Booth." Her words brought him back to the current situation. He looked down at his bare chest and saw the bruises forming, he hadn't noticed them before, he had been too worried about Brennan to realize that he was hurt too.

"I'll be ok, so how do you want me to go about helping you in?" He blushed.

Brennan noticed the coloration of his face and blushed herself. It was an odd situation they were in, a little uncomfortable.

"I don't know, I guess once I'm standing in the tub I should be able to sit down, so I have the towel…"

"Ok, here…" Booth gently placed her arm around his neck being careful not to move her wrist too much and wrapped one of his arms behind her back. He helped her lift her legs into the scolding hot water while she clutched the towel to her chest with her free hand. She stood there looking at him once she was in and noticed the deep concern in his face. "I'll be right outside the door if you need me ok? Anything." He turned to go but stopped when her hand reached out to his shoulder.

"Don't leave me alone…Please?"

Booth was startled by her request. Brennan looked at the man standing in front of her, she couldn't wrap her mind around what she was thinking, but she knew that she was scared, scared of what might be lurking outside, afraid that those men would return and she would be helpless in the physical state she was in. She had always been strong minded and quite capable of handling her own, this fear was new to her and she didn't know how to deal with it. All she knew was that Booth's presence made her feel safe.

"I wont leave you Bones." Booth stared at her eyes for a long pause then continued with less confidence. "… Um…..I…um…I will sit over here, tell me when your in completely."

Booth made his way over to a floor length window where he could sit and look outside, he faced away from Brennan as she shed the towel and slipped bravely into the steaming water. Booth caught himself begin to look her way as she painfully maneuvered into the water. What was it about her that screamed at him to admire her? And when did he become so protective of her?

"Ok, I'm in…so, what do you want to talk about?"


	5. The Worst Timing

**Here is the latest chapter. I am sorry for any delays in my writing, I'm swamped with school work. But I love hearing from you all and hope I keep you happy.**

**On a side note I would like to wish Ria a "Good Luck!" **

**Thanks for reading ;)**

**~B**

Booth sat by the window seal trying not to glance at the woman in the tub next to him. His mind wandering, he vaguely heard what she was asking him.

"…the lateral fractions on the clavicle infer that the bone was… Booth? Are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh, yea… well, no, I'm sorry Bones. What were you saying?"

"The clavicle bone, this one here" She pointed to the long bone connecting her shoulders. Booths eyes drifted over to where she was pointing and quickly returned to the chipped paint on the window seal.

"That's the collar bone Bones."

"The clavicle bone is commonly referred to as the collar bone, ever since the…"

"Bones" Booth cut her off with a warning tone, "You could have just said collar bone in the first place."

"I've never adjusted to your knowledge before, why should I start now?" She teased.

"You have to, and you know it. These past three years we have both changed a lot to fit each other better. I've been thinking… we have been through a lot together and…" He was cut off by a loud crash coming from the living room. Booth was on his feet in less than a second and at the door with his ear against it and his gun out and cocked. He motioned to Brennan with his hand to stay there and be quiet, he slowly opened the door peeking out and keeping his back to the wall as he left and moved slowly down the hall.

He looked around the corner into the living room and saw the two men from the night before. Moving slowly he crept up behind one and did the only thing he could think of, using the butt of his gun he knocked one guy unconscious causing the other to spin around shooting. Booth shot back, killing the man. He quickly found rope in a drawer he had come across earlier. Tying the unconscious man to a support beam of the cabin he striped him of his weapons and drug the other man outside and into the woods, checking first to make sure he was dead. Neither man had identification on them but both had a matching tattoo on their biceps of an eagle clutching a scroll soaked with blood. He recognized the mark from a group he had once faced while in the army. They were anti-government groups out to bring down the current government system. _Great. _He thought as he double checked his knots on the still breathing culprit. _Just what I need to deal with. _Disdain dripping from his thoughts. Well, at least this time he got the jump on them. As easy as it was to bring them down, he wondered how they had gotten the upper hand the night before.

Returning to the bathroom he knocked on the door as he spoke. "Bones, its ok, can I come back in?"

"Yea, come in."

He opened the door to Brennan standing in a towel. He spun around facing the door once again.

"I can wait out here, I took care of the men from last night, when you're dressed let me know." He went to leave but was stopped by Brennan's hand on his shoulder.

"You look embarrassed, its not as if I didn't barge into your bathroom before." She let out a small laugh and a smile spread across her face, "Actually, I need your help, I can't get this fastened."

Booth looked at her standing in front of him and realized that she had already put her jeans back on and had now dropped the towel and was standing in her bra.

"Oh… yea, I can help." He awkwardly moved around behind her and shakily hooked her bra together then picked up her shirt helping her shrug it on and button it up. Every button was a task of its own, his thoughts began to stray down to her fit stomach and smooth curves. He realized the perfection of his partners tone body and found it even more difficult to button the final two buttons on her shirt.

"Thank you… I feel like a child, but I can't maneuver my hand correctly, I need to set it." Bones replied as she walked out of the bathroom leaving Booth standing there still stunned awkwardly.

"Booth! He's awake!"

"Really?" He snapped back into reality walking into the living room to join Brennan. He was in detective mode, and pissed off about the physical state that his partner was in, caused to the idiot tied up in the living room.

"Who the Hell are you?" Booth yelled grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt.


	6. Clue

**Here is the next chapter! I'm really busy so it may be awhile before the next one is up, school takes up too much of my time sometimes. But that's life. I hope you like it! I would also like to add that a friend of mine has auditioned for a role on Bones! She is really talented and could use your help! You see, it's a contest that viewers get to vote on. The website is /contests/Acting/491981?series****= and her name is Ria! Well I hope that you enjoy this chapter and that you check out the site. **

**Back to B&B world! Isn't that the best part? Escaping reality while you read? Even just for awhile?**

After a long and unsuccessful interrogation, Booth, at the end of his patience and on his last nerve, slouched down onto the couch. He had tried every possible tactic, legal and illegal, he felt capable of using. He rubbed his face frustratingly, trying to calm his temper. He felt Brennan's presence as she quietly sat down next to him on the small couch. The man previously tied in the living room, was now tied and unconscious in the empty utility closet.

Booth pulled his hands down away from his face placing his elbows on his knees and slouching over; he tilted his head and look towards his partner. Their eyes met and they held each other's gaze. They had always shared that partner bond of knowing how each other felt in stressful situations such as this.

After what seemed like an eternity to Booth, Brennan broke the silence.

"Booth?" she placed a delicate hand on his back, a hand that he had saw countless times analyzing the human remains or bring bodies larger than his to the ground in one swift and powerful move, but he rarely saw it showing a caring emotion. It was a touch that sent an electric current through his body, a current no other person could inflict upon him. He knew how she worked, how her emotions played with her. He also knew how, together, they danced around the act of showing emotion because of it.

"Booth, that man doesn't know anything because he was never given the information you want from him. He was given orders, like in ancient civilizations when…"

"Bones" He gave her a look of sadness cluttered with hopelessness, his voice sounding defeated, "Bones, I know, I was once one of those men."

Realization set into Brennan's face. Booth noticed the change in her persona.

"Why don't we talk about something else? Perhaps a lesser conversation?"

A smile crept onto Booth's face, "Lighter Bones, a lighter conversation."

"Oh…Well, how about a game of some sort, there has to be one around here somewhere."

"You hate games Bones"

"I don't hate them, I simply don't find the appeal, in most at least."

Booth laughed at her serious attitude, she had her signature face on, the one that showed she couldn't understand something, the face she also gets when she is rationalizing something.

"You know, I think I saw a board game under that coffee table over there." Booth stood to retrieve the box. Realizing what game it was caused him to laugh.

"What are you laughing about?" She asked in that whinny tone of hers, the one she gets when she honestly doesn't understand something, and may get annoyed if she isn't given the answer.

"It's Clue!"

"Huh?"

"You remember don't you? Kyle hit the Duke, in the crypt, with the candle stick."

Bones paused for a moment trying to place the phrase.

"What does a case from three years ago have to do with… Oh!" Her face lit up "Clue! That's the CLUE you were talking about, it's a board game!?!"

Booth laughed harder, he loved it when she figured something out that had puzzled her before. He moved the table closer to the couch and set the box down opening it and placing the game pieces on the glass surface.

"So how do you play?" she asked adjusting herself so that she was more comfortable on the couch. Booth sat on the floor opposite of her organizing the cards and placing three in the small manila folder.

"It's easy, in this folder is one of each category, a person, place, and weapon. And the rest of the deck is split between us. You role the dice and move until you are in a room, when you get there you can ask me one of each category and I show you one of them, if I have them. And we continue until one of us has figured it out."

"Ok, I get it." She picked up her cards, shuffled through them and set them back on the table.

"You get this card to help you organize."

She looked at the piece of paper with a check list on it, "I don't need it."

"Yes you do."

"No, I know what cards I have. Can I be the red one?"

"Yes Miss Scarlet."

"What? Who is Miss Scarlet?"

"You, that's who you chose, she was the character I liked the most as a boy. See, this is her." He pointed to the sexy brunette on the cover of the box with a long cigarette and skimpy red dress with matching gloves.

"Women in the twenties didn't look like that. Very few could afford that type of clothing unless they were prostitutes, although I can see why most young boys would idealize her, she shows the classic sex…"

"Ok Bones, I get it, she looks like she sleeps with a lot of men, can we play the game now?"

"Yes Booth," Brennan laughed at her partner's embarrassment.

"Ok, so I will be Col. Mustard."

"Like the condiment? Is he a leader or a food?"

"A person in the game Bones, would you rather me be Professor Plum or Mr. Green instead?"

"Well you're not a professor, but you can be whatever you want to be Booth." She smiled with a hint of laughter on her voice.

"Well you're not a prostitute last I checked either, now are you?"

"No, but I wont deny that I have slept with a lot of men."

"Bones!" Booth yelled in a little-kid-offended-grossed-out kind of way.

"What?" She sounded shocked.

"Here" he shoved the dice at her "You can go first.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"How do you do that? Every time! Five minutes into the game and you've won! It's not fair!"

"Booth, its based on strategy and logical processes…"

"Save it Bones," He cut her off "Everyone knows you're a genius!" He sounded mad.

"Is this because I implied that you idolized a stereotypical female sex icon as a little boy?" Brennan asked in a matter-of-fact kind of way causing Booth to scowl across the table at her.

"No, although now that you mention it you not only use your knowledge, you boast about it too!" Booth yelled.

"I'm sorry," Brennan quietly apologized, sounding hurt.

Booth instantly felt bad about yelling at her, she had never gotten hurt over something he had said about her IQ, she normally retorted.

"No Bones, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Here, we can play again."

"We've played five games. I actually am tired, I think I will take a nap if that's ok with you?" she sounded exhausted.

"That's a good idea Bones. Here, let me get you a blanket. I'm going to go outside and have a look around." He stood up and walked over to a narrow cupboard and pulled out a blanket. He gently placed it over his partner lying on the couch, pulling it up over her shoulders. "Do you need anything?" She shook her head so with one more adjustment to the blanket he walked toward the door. His hand was on the door knob when he heard his name.

"Booth?" Brennan's voice was soft. He turned back around to look at her.

"Yea?"

"Thank you, for saving my life… again."

"We save each other Bones."


	7. In case of another encounter

**Sry that this is so late. With the site down I couldn't post and then my laptop died and is in getting fixed, Thank goodness for flash drives! I had to buy another computer to use temperarily, it sucks! But here is my update, hope you like it! Have a nice week, im about to be on Spring Break so I hope to update soon!**

**RATING CHANGE: i am sorry to those who were expecting my M fiction to contain certain things, my writing style im afraid would not fulfill those expectations, therefore i chose to change the rating to T for my language use. Again, im sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Bones :(**

**~B**

Brennan opened her eyes slowly as the sun shone in through the window. _Where was she?_

The previous day came flooding back to her the moment she tried to move her wrist. _Damn, I still have to set this, its probably too late_. She turned her head slightly, stopping abruptly at the hand on her waist. _Booth? _That is when she notices the rhythmic breaths tickling the back of her neck. _She was lying in a small bedroom with green walls and a flowery theme with her partner of over three years, in the same bed? _The security she felt in his arms was a new feeling, one she had noticed before but not thought about thoroughly. _What am I doing? What are we doing? We need to figure out how we are going to get out of here? And where is that damn sheriff? The Sheriff! That's it!_

"Booth!" she didn't move out of his embrace, she simply rolled onto her back so that she could see her partners face.

"Booth!"

"Hmm… yea Bones?…Bones!" his eyes shot open at the sight of his partner lying in his arms. _How the hell? I put her in bed and went outside, I….oh. _He pulled his arm back and sat up, the covers falling quickly from his bare chest.

Brennan couldn't help but notice her partners choice of sleepwear.

"Brennan, I'm sorry, I…"

"Booth, its perfectly natural that during a sleep stage that a person finds comfort in embracing something or someone. Just as it is logical that we stay together at all times in case of another encounter with the criminals at hand." Her sleepy face smiled up at him. That smile was one that she uses after she has explained something that had previously made him uncomfortable. Like the times when she brought up his 'alpha-male' tendencies, or women. His face revealed a quiet blush that he hoped would not catch his partner's attention.

Brennan smiled at Booth, _he can be so boyish at times_.

"Bones, I really am sorry, I should have slept on the couch, kept an eye on the utilities closet or…"

"Booth!" She cut him off, remembering her discovery. "Booth! The sheriff!"

"Did you hear something Bones? Is someone outside?" He jumped up, flinging his legs off the bed and reaching for his clothes. Brennan's gentle but firm hand grabbed his arm. He looked back at her, catching the pained look most likely caused by the sudden movement of her free, and injured, hand.

"No Booth, the sheriff is in on it, he never showed up, and he was way too happy to see that I stayed out here."

"Bones you're a genius!"

"I admit that I am intelligent, however; the…" She was swept up into a huge embrace that caused her slight discomfort due to the bruising she had had inflicted upon her. But she wasn't going to complain, she felt safe in this place.


	8. Chapter Seven continued

**I am so sry about this, this was meant to be on the last chapter. Idk what happened, except that my computer has a mind of its own! I am having writers block on this story and currently working on my novel, so it may be awhile before I get the next update written. Any suggestions are welcomed, anything to get me past this block. Thank you for your patience with me and all your reviews.**

**~B**

"You are right, it has to be the sheriff! And I bet he was real mad when the hikers called the Feds in on this. That's why he was acting strange and that's why he left us out here. You need to be less predictable you know Bones? He knew you wouldn't leave those bones… oh shit the bones!"

"Any professional would have…Booth the bones! We left them!"

"Lets go!" Booth let his partner out of his embrace in exchange for her good hand as he pulled her out of bed picking up their coats and shoes as he went.

"Booth?"

"Yea Bones?" he handed her her shoes as he slid his on.

"What about the bad guy in the closet?"

"Forget him Bones, when this is all over we can send people out here to retrieve him. Angela can make a sketch." He didn't wait for her to reply, he placed his hand at the base of her back and began leading her out the door. The crisp fall wind bit at their faces as they began to walk.

"Temperance, are you ok to walk this far?"

His use of her first name startled her.

"Yes, I'm fine." She stared at her partner as they made their way through the woods. Brennan didn't know where they were compared to the bodies or the cabin after about five minutes of walking.

"Booth do you know where we are?"

"Have a little faith in me Bones, I'm an ex sniper remember? This is what I was trained to do." He gave her that serious look he always had when he mentioned his days of active duty. "Trust me, I wont let anything happen to you, I promise you that a long time ago." He replaced his seriousness with a smile he had in reserve only for his partner.

They trudged through mud and leaves.


	9. without science, would you?

_**I am so sorry that it took this long to update, I really didn't think that writers block could last so long, and then school… thank goodness it is almost summer, I need the sun! I am sick of cold weather, I envy those of you who have weather over 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I miss Florida… Well I hope you like it, even though it is short. But I hope to be able to continue soon. Thank you to my readers who didn't forget about me in my absence. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything **_

_**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

"Booth, I think we should go back to the crime scene."

"Bones, why is it that in the worst scenarios that we find ourselves in, all you can think about are your damn BONES? We are fighting for our lives right now, those people are already dead. And I don't plan on joining them anytime soon."

"I just think that logically the best chance we have at finding our way out of this forest is finding evidence to follow the sheriff's trail."

"Bones that's brilliant!" Booth's demeanor changed into a sudden spirited mood.

"Thank you." The corner of her mouth twitched up in a smile the way it always did when he complemented her.

Booth looked at her strange.

"did you just say thank you?"

"yes, why is that…?"

"No argument? No "true that I am intellectually blah blah blah" ?"

"Booth, I am quite capable of accepting a complement when it is bestowed, as I am also capable of picking up your grammatical errors and over exaggerations."

Booth winced in pain, bringing his hand to the small of his back.

"Booth! Are you ok?" Brennan stopped, turning to face him and placing a hand on his shoulder. Then moving to examine his back.

"Yea, fine…fine, I must have twisted it funny at some point these last two days."

"Are you sure you're ok? I can try to place it again, I just need to…" She was quickly silenced by his hand, coming up in a 'stop' gesture in front of her face.

"I'm ok Bones. I will be fine. Besides, we need to get moving before it starts to get dark out here."

"Booth, you really should rest for a while, it would be illogical if you were to continue to strain your lower back and potentially inhibit your mobility. We could risk being stranded out here longer than what is already possible, lessening our chances of survival."

"So what you're telling me is that my bad back is making your chances of survival lessened? You could go on without me if it came to that."

"Statistically two people traveling in a pair survive longer than a lone person, especially if it came down to cannibalism."

"What! Now you're threatening to EAT ME?" Booths face went pale. He knew she thought logically, but would she really resort to pure survival of the fittest tactics?

"Don't be irrational Booth, I'm not planning on eating you, now hold still." She placed hear thumbs against his spine and pressed, working her way up his back.

"You are the one that said it. And when you say things Bones, you usually mean it and… oh, that feels good." He relaxed into her touch, letting out a quiet content sigh as she massaged his back after repositioning it.

"There, all done. We can rest for a few minutes and you will be fit to continue. Look, there are a few rocks over there." Brennan walked off in the direction of the rock bed to the North, knowing Booth would follow.

"How is it that you always do that?"

"Do what?" she asked.

"Fix things, like everything was as easy as walking from here to that tree."

"Quite technically walking is no simple task, it…" again she was interrupted by Booth's complaints.

"I get it Bones, you don't have to explain." Booth sat next to her on a large rock looking out over a small meadow. The two sat quietly enjoying their surroundings. It was a descent day so far. Although it looked as if it could possibly rain, or maybe even storm later in the night.

"Bones?"

"Yea Booth?"

"If I had to pick a person to be stranded in the woods with, it would be you." He smiled that reserved grin he had for her.

"Well logical…" his hand was to her mouth, again interrupting her.

"It's a game Bones. Would you ever, or would you rather? Tell me you've at least played those games, like in high school at…. Oh, well. We can play."

"How do you play?" Curiosity struck her as usual when her partner brought up strange entanglements that she missed as an adolescent.

"I ask you a question and you answer it, you have to answer yes or no to the 'have you evers' or pick one of the two choices in the 'would you rathers', Ok? Its easy."

"Ok, ask one." She felt slightly awkward as her partner studied her face as if it were going to give him the question.

"We will start with an easy one… Would you rather. Be caught in an elevator with a skunk or a porcupine?"

"That is not a question."

"Just answer it Bones, no science, just pick one."

"Well the skunk would be frightened and…"

"Pick one, no science Bones." Booth laughed.

"Porcupine."

"What? They would…" Booth began to protest her answer but was cut short. The pair had an innate habit of doing so.

"You said no science, so I don't have to explain it to you then!" She smirked, knowing that she had won.

"Ok smartass, your turn to ask a question."

"I don't know how to play these ridiculous games."

"C'mon Bones, what are you, afraid you might lose? Or embarrass yourself."

"Fine, would you rather live with Angela, shopping habits included. Or go on a vacation with Sweets where he analyzed you the entire time?"

"That's not fair, those choices are impossible." Booth whined like a child being told to stay in the house on a beautiful day.

"Would you like me to explain the question you gave me? Because those choices were equally comparable in unfair circumstances as well." Brennan smiled, satisfied with herself and her tactics at creating a question that made Booth squirm, without involving herself.

"Angela. And I don't have to explain myself there." Booth watched as Brennan's face gave a waver of sadness, he couldn't place it but knew it had had something to do with his answer.

"I just meant that since you didn't explain your answer I wasn't going to explain mine." He corrected himself and then stood up. "C'mon Bones, we're losing daylight." He pulled her up with him and gently relocated his hand to the small of her back as they continued through the forest back to the crime scene, Booth leading the way using his sniper tracking skills.

_**Again, I am sorry that this took so long to update and that it is terribly short. Thank You for reading, please review, good bad or in-between.**_

_**~B**_


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